Method of wetting up.



No. 849,349. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907. W. G. GEGLER.

METHOD OF WETTING UP.

AYPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1906.

@uventoz wihmaoy 56 6 6% v I m UNITED STATES 1?ATENT' OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. GEGLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF WETTING UP- Specification of Letters Patent.

I Patented April 2, 1907.

. Application filed September 26, I906. Serial No. 886,168.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C, GEGLER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Method of Wetting Up, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to apply moisture to leather more advantageously than is possible by hand application.

I claim the process herein, but do not here claim the apparatus, having claims to apparatus in a copending application, Serial No. 330,918, filed August 16, 1906. 4

Figure 1 represents an elevation of the structure embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents an edge-trimmer with my moistening device or wetter-up applied thereto. Fig. 3 represents my wetter-up applied to a stitch-separating device. Fig. 4 represents a modification of my device.

While I have shown my mechanism as applied to shoe-working machinery, I desire it to be understood'that it is not confined to such use and that it is advantageous in a large variety of leather-working operations in reparing the leather therefor.

fhave illustrated my invention in connec tion primarily with an edged trimmer, for the reason that this shows one of the most advantageous uses of the invention.

In the present operation of cutting leather, particularly in shoe-working machinery and as best exemplified in edge-trimming, the

edge is not wet up until after it has cooled from the rou h-trimming operation, with the result that t e leather may be scorched or burned in the rough trimming to a depth below that which will be ultimately cut off. This I avoid by cooling the surface and wettin the same automatically and continuous y in close proximity to the cutting-tool. I may also wet up automatically just ahead of the cuttin -tool. In addition to this disadvantage 0 the old method there is additional handling without even then reaching my advantage, as the shoe must be put down by the trimmer in order that it may be wet up before the finishing trimming operations.

A number. of shoes were formerly wet up together, with the danger and usually the fact' ofthe same being too wet or too dry before they were ultimately taken up by the trimmer and operated upon by t e cutter. In

either event there was ordinarily but one wetting up for all the subsequent trimming, though the shoe is usually trimmed three or four times. I avoid these handlings and wet up for every cutting operation. The final e ge was formerly left parched and scorched and full of whiskers, preventing proper a plication of edge stain or ink and causing t e edge to appear red and the ink to eal. The edge was a so permanently injure independently of this question of mere surface appearance, because the pores were left open for the collection of. moisture and dirt, resulting in the early rotting of the leather at this point. It is also most desirable that the moisture be a plied in close proximity to the cutters bebind the cutting-point in the direction of the feed of the goods to the cutter, so that the moisture shall be forcibly driven into the pores of the leather immediately after they ave been opened by the operation of the cutting-tool.

Some advantage would be ained over present appliances in applying e nozzle in advance of the cutting operationthat is, in the reverse direction from the direction of feedin that the leather would be mechanically moistened and would have no op ortunity'to dry out, and I desire to cover t e use of the device in both situations; but a very valuable advantage is lacking when the moistenin is in advance of the cutterthat is, when t e wetting up takes place just before the cutting. The pores of the leather have closed from one cutting operation before the wetting up takes place. It is difiicult to wet up properly the entire length of ed e or other surface to be treated.

omc of the advantage of my invention may be gained by applying steam, with the disadvantage due to the excessive heat of the steam and the difficulty of attaining adjustably any desired degree of moisture there from, whereas I can mix the air and water in my preferred form of moistening (shown in Fig. l) in any quantities w ich may be required. At the same time in Fig. 4 I have shown means for using the pressure of steam to drive the water in, butcooling the steam and condensing it to avoid burning, so that a steam-supply may be used directly.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corres onding parts in the figures.

fieferring to the drawings, 1 designates a tank intended for the storage and drainage of a supply of compressed fluid, preferably air, furnished through the pipe 2 and controlled by the valve 3. The tank is protected by a pressure-valve 4, and air is supplied for the purposes required through the pipe 5, controlled by the valve 6. Preferab y in proximity to the point of application of the moisture or other liquid or vapor used, a tank 7 is supported in any manner, as by a brace 8, so as to lie above a portion of the,

pipe 5 and be connected to said pipe by means of a branch 9, entering the tank 7 referably near or at the bottom' of the tank. he branch 9 is provided with a valve 10, by which the flow of liquid or vapor from the tank 7 may be controlled. The tank 7 is .pro vided with a filling-opening 11, controlled by any suitable closure 12. The air from the pipe 5 is controlled by means of a valve 17.

Between the valve 17 and the tank 1 is located a branch 13, entering the tank 7 at 14 and providing a sup ly of compressed fluid upon the surface of t e liquid or vapor in the tank 7. The extent of pressure u on the surface is within control by means 0 a valve 13, and the pressure can be entirely released by shutting off this valve and opening the cap. The flow of liquid can also be practically cut oif independently of valve 10 by closing the valve 13 and keeping the cap 12 tightly closed. These several means of control enable any desired quantity of liquid or va or to flow or be forced from the tank 7 and to mingle with any desired'quantity of air from the pipe 5, passing through the valve 17, it being evidently possible to control the quan-. tity of air and liquid or vapor with great delicacy between the limits of a supply of clear liquid and a supply of clear air. The liquid or vapor and air meet at 9, where the branch 9 leaves the pipe 5, and flow through a pipe 15 to a point of preferred application, where they pass through a nozzle 16, placed in proximity to a tool or cutter 18, upon which the work 19 is intended to be treated or trimmed.

For convenience in control and support of the nozzle 16 I provide an arm 20, upon which the nozzle or pipe 15 is supported adjustably as to height and location. The direct means of support of which I make use is a collar 21, having a set-screw 22 therein.'

I have shown my cutter as operated in the usual way by means of a shaft 23, supported in bearings 24 and rotated by a pulley 25.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a feed-table 26, upon which the work is rested while it is being 0 erated upon by a stitch-separator'having t e marker, indenter, or cutter 27. The

' shoe is held against the guide 28 and wet up by means of a nozzle 29, which may evidentlybe located upon either side of the indenter or cutter 27, according to the inten the operation'of this cutter or to' take advantage of the opening of the pores of the leather to drive the moisture more advantageously into the leather for a subsequent operation by applying the wetter-up immediately after the indenter or cutter 27 operates.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a boiler 30 supplying steam to a pipe 31, which connects with a coil 32 in any suitable cooling-tank 33, the nozzle 34 being connected to the other end of said coil.

While I have shown my process and device as applied to an ed e-trimmer and stitch-separator only, it wil be evident that in the art of shoe manufacture alone there are at least seven other points in which they can be applied to great advantagenamely, in wetting welts before leveling, wetting up welts for welting-machines, wetting for Mo- Kay stitching, wetting for McKay leveling, wetting tops and Vamps for lasting, wettin up stock for channelin in stock-room, and wetting up seams be ore rubbing out in upper-stitching room.

In my process as applied to leather the continuous moistening before the cliflerent operations and also before the last operation lays the fiber, closes the ores, and produces a remarkably smooth an ebony finish, which allows the ink and stain to penetrate and to retain its virtue and which re uires a minimum of polish by reason 0 the operation is muchless injurious to the operators by reason of the practical elimination of flying dust.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of wetting up material for leather-working machinery, which consists the initial smoothness of the finish. At the same time in applying vapor forcibly against the grain of the leather as it emerges from a preceding operation, in order to prepare it for the next succeeding operation.

-2. The process of wetting up leather for leather-working machinery, which consists in forcibly applying moisture in the form of a spray in proximity to a tool operating upon said leather at the point at whlch the leather leaves the tool.

3. The process of, wetting up, which consists in spraying water by means of an airpressure upon leather as it emerges from a cutting operation.

4. The process of wetting up leather for tool operations thereon which consists in forcing a spray of fluid upon the material operated upon during the operation of the tool and in close proximity thereto.

' 5. The process of working leather which consists in cutting the same, in forcing a shray of fluicl upon the surface cut in close finely-divided form under pressnre and subseprcximity to the operating-tool and in requently mechanically operating thereon.

eating the cuttin 0 eration while the sur- Eweis stmmoist, P 7 WILLIAM c. GEGLER.

5 6. The rocess of wetting up leather which Witnesses:

consists in subjecting the surface of the W. S. JACKSON, leather to a mixture of air and water in a I JOHN A. WIEDERSIPEIM. 

